Trump’s invasion threat: Tinubu using multiple channels to address issue – Idris
…says “we don’t want to overheat discussions”
Mohammed Idris, minister of information, has revealed that President Bola Tinubu is working assiduously to address the threat of invasion by U.S. President Donald Trump over alleged genocide against Christians in Nigeria.
Idris who spoke with State House journalists after meeting with the President on Tuesday, said Tinubu is cautious not to overheat discussions on the issue, but added that the President is using multiple channels to enlighten the global community on the current situation in Nigeria
According to him “Mr President is calm. He is looking at the whole situations and he is looking for ways and means of ensuring that the International community understands what Nigeria has been doing.”
He recalled that only two weeks ago, President Tinubu had reworked the security architecture of the country, by reinvigorating the hierarchy of the Armed Forces, with the appointment of a new Chief of Defence Staff and other service chiefs.
“These were all the issues that came out before the U.S. concerns. So, that tells you that Mr President has been working assiduously to ensure that Nigeria is a country that remains safer for all Nigerians to live in.
“We are looking at all the issues and we don’t want to over heat discussions but work is ongoing and we have also opened channels of communication for International Organisations to understand what Nigeria has been doing better and what we intend to further do to ensure that whatever concerns that there are, either domestically here, or from the international communities, are being answered.”
He reiterated that the Tinubu’s administration is using multiple approach, including “discussions with the leadership of religious groups.”
“Mr President has been meeting with them and he will continue to do so, they are all Nigerians and he is leading them, they are ofcourse, important stakeholders in the Nigerian project.”
He also assured that President Tinubu will continue to engage with the International community, including the U.S. and every regional body.
“The continental bodies and everyone that we think has a role to play in ensuring that Nigeria succeeds in ridding this country of this criminal element that are helping the world to drive this narrative to give Nigeria a very bad name and we know that this is not who we are as a country.
“So, for us to be characterised as a country that is not tolerant when it comes to religion is not accurate, this is absolutely false.
Read also: Trump threatens to launch military attacks in Nigeria over Christian killings
“Nigeria has Muslims and Christians and even those who even do not believe in any of these religions and our constitution guarantees everyone should practice their faith without hindrance and Mr President is going to respect that to the letter.”
Idris, while acknowledging that the country has security challenges, added that “but no where has there been any decision to favour one religion or the other or to inflict violence over one religion.
“What has happened is that we have these extremists that are driving this narrative and their desired outcome is to see that this country is divided and we want to caution Nigerians to look deeper, this is a time for us to reflect on our nationhood to reflect on our unity, this is not the time for division, this is not the time for rhetoric, it is the time for nation building. It is the time for calling for everyone to come together so that we can continue to have a Nigeria of our dream.”
Idris noted that “those that should look at this issues are looking at them with all the responsibilities and the depth that it requires so that at the end of the day we will come out of this, we believe that we will come out of this very strongly.”
